Weifang Chaotian Pot

Weifang Chaotian Pot

　　Weifang Chaotian Pot originated from the folk morning markets during the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, farmers who came to the market in Weixian County had no access to hot meals, so someone set up a large iron pot at the market to cook food and warm up meals for passersby. Since the pot had no lid, people called it the “Chaotian Pot” (which means “Sky-facing Pot”). Inside the pot were boiled pork offal, meatballs, dried tofu, and more. The broth boiled with tender meat, and customers would sit around the pot, where the chef would scoop out hot soup, adding some cilantro and soy sauce, etc., along with thin wheat pancakes for them to eat as they pleased. Then, according to customers’ requests, the chef would chop up the intestines, stomach, and other parts, place them on the pancakes, sprinkle with fine salt, roll them into a tube shape, and hand them to the customers. Because of its affordability and the fact that the meaty broth could be scooped freely, it became very popular among the public. Weifang Chaotian Pot was continuously improved and was recognized respectively as a “China Famous Snack” by the China Cuisine Association and a “Shandong Famous Snack” by the Shandong Provincial Department of Commerce in 1997. With the development of commerce, the Chaotian Pot has spread throughout the city and has now evolved into a “Chaotian Feast.” This feast uses chicken and donkey meat to make the broth, and centers around boiling a whole pig, including the pig’s head, liver, lungs, heart, stomach, and intestines, paired with sweet bean paste, vinegar, soy sauce, pickled vegetable strips, pepper, scallions, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, salt, cilantro, sesame oil, and green radish strips, among over ten different seasonings and cold dishes. Diners sit around a specially designed dining table, in the center of which is a large pot with a diameter of 50 centimeters and a depth of 65 centimeters. The rim of the pot is level with the table surface, and the bottom contains a specially made fuel source. The round table has a gap where the server, based on guests’ requests, scoops out and slices the meat from the pot for diners to slowly enjoy. The “Chaotian Pot” is rich but not greasy, nutritious, delicious, and the broth is light yet clear. Paired with thin pancakes, it offers endless flavor.